US OPEN

August 29, 2022

Bianca Andreescu

Press Conference

B. ANDREESCU/H. Tan

6-0, 3-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. First round. Could you give us your thoughts on the match and the victory.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I think I started off very, very well. And then she kind of came back. She changed her game style. I felt like she was playing more aggressive, coming to the net.

I was a bit thrown off guard, and then, yeah, I had to regroup in the third set, because I know if I didn't, then I'm sure she could have won that third set. But I'm just happy with how I dealt with it at the end.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You obviously didn't like what you were wearing when you came out on court the first time and you went and changed. Can you tell me what the issue was with the dress?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, it was just bothering me on some forehands. I just felt like it was kind of coming up a bit. Obviously the wind didn't help.

But, I mean, I meant no disrespect with what I said to the umpire. I was trying to convince him to not take away that washroom break, because I know we only get two. He was very nice to say it was totally okay. I could have definitely used a different choice of wording. So I apologize to anyone I disrespected. I love Nike and I hope I can be with them for the rest of my life. But, yeah.

Q. Did you come back with more Nike?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: What do you mean?

Q. When you changed.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Oh, of course. I have no choice. I'd rather be with Nike for the rest of my life. And, yeah, I definitely apologize with what I said.

Q. Are you a believer in the theory that sometimes it's the worst thing to win a set 6-Love?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I was thinking after that set because it just flew by. I'm like, Oh, my gosh, what happens now? Is she going to regroup, continue playing the same? I was just on my toes. Like I was in the match, but I wasn't. Just because of how quick it went. Like I've never -- I don't think I've ever played a first set like that. So it was obviously new for me, and I tried to keep my cool and just play my game.

But, yeah, I was thinking that. So I don't know. It did give me confidence, though, I think to win that third set, because I said if I can do it in the first I can do it now. So, yeah, maybe both. Depends how you look at it.

Q. I'm curious, you've had huge occasions with Serena Williams on a court, and you have beaten her. First time you beat her I know it was through retirement and stuff. Do you ever look back and think how important that was for you, not just winning a slam or winning in Canada, but the fact that you have that under your belt? How much confidence does that give you? Do you ever look back at those days?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I do. I actually put my screen saver of me holding up that trophy so I can slowly embed that in my head again. Yeah, I do think about it a lot, especially when I'm here. Definitely playing Serena, win or lose, it's an honor. Not everyone can say that.

It definitely gives me confidence, because, I mean, that year she was playing really well, so I think it definitely gave me confidence. I'm very, very happy that I got to play her. Maybe I can play her again. Who knows?

Q. Just to clarify, did you just change your screen saver back to that picture?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I changed it before the tournament. Yeah, I'm not like self-centered like that. Like, I don't have it all the time (smiling). I just did it for this tournament.

Q. Speaking of that, how would you describe your journey since that moment when you did hold up that trophy?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Oh, long story short, I guess. I could sum it up as best as I can now.

But it was definitely overwhelming. At first it was great, and then I didn't, I guess, expect everything that came along with it, and I felt that at one point it got the best of me.

So I really had to like reassess everything, in a way. And, I mean, I had that break about, I think it was like four months, four months and a half, where I was not enjoying myself at all. I felt that I was identifying myself too much with my wins, with my losses. I'm like, back in 2019, that's not how it was. I was just super happy to be back on court playing. I didn't really think of anything. I was just happy to be there.

Then with everything else going on, I mean, it is expected, and now I feel that if it does happen again, I'm gonna deal with it better and maybe enjoy the win a little bit more than I did in 2019. That's like the one thing I look back and I'm like, I wish it enjoyed it more in the moment.

But it's definitely been a life-changing three years, I would say. Don't even get me started about COVID. I didn't play for a year. That was crazy. But, yeah.

Q. The decision to not play Cincy and kind of coming to the US Open without a tournament, just Toronto, what was the mindset there? What did you kind of end up doing instead of playing that event?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I was dealing with a little back issue before Toronto, and I was feeling good. I took a couple days off but it was still up in the air, I didn't know if I was really going to play the tournament, you know. And the preparation before that, I would say, wasn't the best. I really wanted to take that two weeks to really rest my body and prepare for the US Open.

I'm really glad that I made that decision, because I have been learning a lot in my practices with Sven. And, yeah, I'm just happy I did that. I feel fresh.

Q. As Simona just lost and all the Romanian fans will be now on your side.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I don't know what to say about that. Because I know the Romanian fans, I know they love me and they also love Simona. So for them it obviously sucks that Simona lost. I actually didn't know that.

But like let's take Simona out of the picture just for a bit, today during my match, I mean, the crowd was incredible. I didn't only see Romanians, but I saw a lot of Canadian fans as well, coming from Winnipeg and Calgary. Just to see that is super heartwarming for me. I literally feel like this is my second home.

Q. Are you ready, physically and mentally, to do it again?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yes, I am. I really believe I can do it.

Q. What does an up-and-down match like this do to your confidence? (Next question off mic.)

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I did. Well, it's the first round, so I think it's good that it happened now because I can learn from it, like, if it does show up again, like in my next couple of rounds. I feel that it was good in a way, but it's great that I also had that first and third set where I was playing really, really well to kind of maybe not focus too much on the second set.

But I think it was meant to be. Let's just put it that way.

Q. Your next opponent won in two sets of 6-0 today. What do you know of her and what do you expect in the next match?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I watched her play the final at the Rogers Cup. She's playing really, really well. I know I played her but it was back in 2016, I think it was.

It wasn't an easy match, and I'm sure Wednesday definitely won't be an easy match, as well. She's playing really well. But I'm also playing really well, so I think it's going to be a great matchup.